How would you rate your current hunting bow?
08-20-2003, 12:10 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Virginia / West Virginia
Posts: 4,906
How would you rate your current hunting bow?
I know alot of folks here shoot different bows for different reasons. With all the hype and marketing these days, many folks change bows like they change their underwear. Searching, I guess...or maybe they just always want to newest, latest, greatest. Regardless...there are alot of good bows on the market, and I' m sure there are some sleepers to go along with the popular ones. Also...I' d bet there are some that don' t quite live up to all the hype they' ve been given. What do you look for in a hunting bow? Have you found what you are looking for?
I was curious how you would rate your current hunting bow? What do you shoot, and is there anything that you specifially like/dislike about it? On a scale of 1-10...consider a-to-a, brace, speed, accuracy, price...etc. Honest opinions please
There are alot of new folks here on the board, and to the sport in general. Maybe we can help give some good advice as to the pro' s and con' s of some of todays bows. I can imagine that it would be a little overwhelming to be a newbie today....with all the archery industry has to offer.
I personally shoot a PSE Thunderbolt 29" @ 65lbs w/65% letoff. I got this bow last year, and after having it and shooting it over a year....I really like it alot. It is 36" , with a good brace (7" ), and IBO rating of 300fps. It was very easy to set up and tune, and has maintained it' s tune perfectly since I grouped tuned it last spring. It is fairly fast (not a burner), and very quiet. (I have catwhiskers and limb savers.) I do shoot fairly heavy aluminums 2216 XX78' s (which probably helps keep the noise down also)and it shoots them about 240fps...which is plenty fast for me. Good KE. It has some hand shock after the shot, but not bad(at least not to me). The single lightning cam has draw length modules, which is much better than my previous bow that you had to change the whole cam. I like the valley and the wall on it. It keeps me very consistent, and doesn' t try and rip my arms off if I creep.
I have a MZE on it, and I really like it. IMO, that is a great rest for the hunter. Other accesories: fletcher peep, a PSE 2pc quiver, PSE fiber optic sight, and a wrist sling ...which all are nothing special, but serve the purpose well. No stab. I can consistently group broadheads at 3" @30yds, and they group right with my field points. My total investment in this setup was a whopping $375 (all new...gotta love ebay
...sometimes)....so that was a big plus!
I realize that this bow is not one of the more popular bows, but overall I' d give this bow a good review.....probably an honest 7.5 to 8 (maybe a tad more if you factor in the cost). It seems to me a very solid bow, and didn' t break the bank. I' m not an expert obviously, but I have been at this game for over 15 years. I don' t know what others think of this bow, but I think the Thunderbolt is a good buy all the ay around, for a mid price range bow. I usually hang onto something I like for a good while, and I' m sure this will be no different....I' m old school I guess...(don' t fix it if it ain' t broke).
[&:]
I was curious how you would rate your current hunting bow? What do you shoot, and is there anything that you specifially like/dislike about it? On a scale of 1-10...consider a-to-a, brace, speed, accuracy, price...etc. Honest opinions please
There are alot of new folks here on the board, and to the sport in general. Maybe we can help give some good advice as to the pro' s and con' s of some of todays bows. I can imagine that it would be a little overwhelming to be a newbie today....with all the archery industry has to offer.
I personally shoot a PSE Thunderbolt 29" @ 65lbs w/65% letoff. I got this bow last year, and after having it and shooting it over a year....I really like it alot. It is 36" , with a good brace (7" ), and IBO rating of 300fps. It was very easy to set up and tune, and has maintained it' s tune perfectly since I grouped tuned it last spring. It is fairly fast (not a burner), and very quiet. (I have catwhiskers and limb savers.) I do shoot fairly heavy aluminums 2216 XX78' s (which probably helps keep the noise down also)and it shoots them about 240fps...which is plenty fast for me. Good KE. It has some hand shock after the shot, but not bad(at least not to me). The single lightning cam has draw length modules, which is much better than my previous bow that you had to change the whole cam. I like the valley and the wall on it. It keeps me very consistent, and doesn' t try and rip my arms off if I creep.
I have a MZE on it, and I really like it. IMO, that is a great rest for the hunter. Other accesories: fletcher peep, a PSE 2pc quiver, PSE fiber optic sight, and a wrist sling ...which all are nothing special, but serve the purpose well. No stab. I can consistently group broadheads at 3" @30yds, and they group right with my field points. My total investment in this setup was a whopping $375 (all new...gotta love ebay
...sometimes)....so that was a big plus! I realize that this bow is not one of the more popular bows, but overall I' d give this bow a good review.....probably an honest 7.5 to 8 (maybe a tad more if you factor in the cost). It seems to me a very solid bow, and didn' t break the bank. I' m not an expert obviously, but I have been at this game for over 15 years. I don' t know what others think of this bow, but I think the Thunderbolt is a good buy all the ay around, for a mid price range bow. I usually hang onto something I like for a good while, and I' m sure this will be no different....I' m old school I guess...(don' t fix it if it ain' t broke).
[&:]
08-20-2003, 12:53 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: East Yapank NY USA
Posts: 3,457
RE: How would you rate your current hunting bow?
Come on
Do you really want me to answer that question?
Can I be pardoned from this thread
Actually I am pretty happy with my Solo Pat give it a 7.5. I would like to have a liitle better balance, a bit more speed, better nock travel, and a realistic draw length from the manufacturer - but other wise[:-] when she fires on all cylinders she is a pleasure to shoot.
Gold Tip XT' s - they get an 8
My new rest " drop zone" is an 8 at this moment
MY Spot hogg sight a 9 - my best purchase
My summit climber a 9 - love that seat
My broadhead - who the heck knows
But this is fun for me
When the opener comes I can assure you I will be 100% confident in my setup - but until then all bets are off.
Do you really want me to answer that question?
Can I be pardoned from this thread
Actually I am pretty happy with my Solo Pat give it a 7.5. I would like to have a liitle better balance, a bit more speed, better nock travel, and a realistic draw length from the manufacturer - but other wise[:-] when she fires on all cylinders she is a pleasure to shoot.
Gold Tip XT' s - they get an 8
My new rest " drop zone" is an 8 at this moment
MY Spot hogg sight a 9 - my best purchase
My summit climber a 9 - love that seat
My broadhead - who the heck knows
But this is fun for me
When the opener comes I can assure you I will be 100% confident in my setup - but until then all bets are off.
08-20-2003, 01:22 PM
#4
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 77
RE: How would you rate your current hunting bow?
I have been shooting a Mathews Q2 for two years. I shoot it both competitively at 3D' s and for hunting Elk, Deer, and Javelina.
So far, the bow has been dependable and easy to keep tuned. I have been somewhat dissapointed in the expertise of the bow techs at the different Mathews dealers locally.
This is the set up:
2001 Mathews Q2
70% let off
27.5" draw
68 lbs
28" 410 Grain ACC 3-60
Trophy Ridge drop away rest
Brace height is close to 7"
I would rate it as follows:
Speed: 9 With my short draw length I am limited here, but I do get 270 fps
Noise: 10 This bow is super quiet! No whiskers needed.
Durability: 8 Facory string seemed of mediocre quaility. Bow finish is wearing
Recoil: 10 This bow hardly kicks at all. It is a nice bow to shoot all afternoon
Parts Availibility: 7 I think this depends more on the dealer, though.
Cost: That is subjective, but it is one of the more expensive bows on the market
Overall, I think it is a great bow for someone that shoots alot and shoots long range (I consider long range 50+ yds). If you just shoot a few times a year to get ready to hunt, and do not need to shoot too far, I think many bows in a cheaper price category would be the way to go.
Best of Luck Hunting,
Dan
So far, the bow has been dependable and easy to keep tuned. I have been somewhat dissapointed in the expertise of the bow techs at the different Mathews dealers locally.
This is the set up:
2001 Mathews Q2
70% let off
27.5" draw
68 lbs
28" 410 Grain ACC 3-60
Trophy Ridge drop away rest
Brace height is close to 7"
I would rate it as follows:
Speed: 9 With my short draw length I am limited here, but I do get 270 fps
Noise: 10 This bow is super quiet! No whiskers needed.
Durability: 8 Facory string seemed of mediocre quaility. Bow finish is wearing
Recoil: 10 This bow hardly kicks at all. It is a nice bow to shoot all afternoon
Parts Availibility: 7 I think this depends more on the dealer, though.
Cost: That is subjective, but it is one of the more expensive bows on the market
Overall, I think it is a great bow for someone that shoots alot and shoots long range (I consider long range 50+ yds). If you just shoot a few times a year to get ready to hunt, and do not need to shoot too far, I think many bows in a cheaper price category would be the way to go.
Best of Luck Hunting,
Dan
08-20-2003, 01:25 PM
#6
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,175
RE: How would you rate your current hunting bow?
My bow is 68" long and is a bit of a pain sometimes, when stuck in the thick stuff. It weighs about 14 ounces, so carrying weight is wonderful. It draws 54 pounds at 32" with no letoff. I shoot it good enough where anything, clean down to the size of a squirrel, that gets within 20 yards of me is going to have a VERY bad day.
If I nick the string, it takes all of about 2 minutes to replace it and get the bow tuned up again (spare shot in string with a nock point is always with me when I hunt) with NO TOOLS REQUIRED.
If I drop it or have to toss it over a fence before crossing, it will shoot just the same as ever. Durability is almost bulletproof and it' s as close to being perfectly reliable as anything made by human hands can be.
It is dead quiet on the shot except for a soft thump. My 580 grain arrows fly around 185 fps off the rug rest, which is plenty fast for anything I' ve ever hunted.
I made it myself at the cost of $100 for materials, 25 hours of my time and some elbow grease. And, if I do say so myself, it looks a darn sight better than any compound on the market.
Oh, by the way... It' s a reflex/deflex longbow. Hickory limbs under clear glass, bocote riser with black glass, hickory and osage accent stripe and black glass and bocote for overlays on the back of the riser and limb tips.
Overall, I' d rate it about a 9.5.
If you really want, I can rate my recurve and compound too, but the longbow is my #1 hunter.
If I nick the string, it takes all of about 2 minutes to replace it and get the bow tuned up again (spare shot in string with a nock point is always with me when I hunt) with NO TOOLS REQUIRED.
If I drop it or have to toss it over a fence before crossing, it will shoot just the same as ever. Durability is almost bulletproof and it' s as close to being perfectly reliable as anything made by human hands can be.
It is dead quiet on the shot except for a soft thump. My 580 grain arrows fly around 185 fps off the rug rest, which is plenty fast for anything I' ve ever hunted.
I made it myself at the cost of $100 for materials, 25 hours of my time and some elbow grease. And, if I do say so myself, it looks a darn sight better than any compound on the market.
Oh, by the way... It' s a reflex/deflex longbow. Hickory limbs under clear glass, bocote riser with black glass, hickory and osage accent stripe and black glass and bocote for overlays on the back of the riser and limb tips.
Overall, I' d rate it about a 9.5.
If you really want, I can rate my recurve and compound too, but the longbow is my #1 hunter.
08-20-2003, 01:33 PM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SE MN
Posts: 112
RE: How would you rate your current hunting bow?
I shoot a Mathews and I hate it, what a piece of garbage...I give it a 2 at best. Just kiddin' fellas.
I bought a PSE Firestorm Lite this year and really like it. I wasn' t so sure with the very short axle to axle, but with a litte time I have grown to like it. I needed the extreme let-off due to some back surgery, so between that, the weight of the bow, and beings it is tiny enough to get through some thick brush out here, it really fits the bill for my personal needs.
Montana Black Gold
Limb Saver Stab.
Quiktune
Alpine Archery Quiv.
I don' t know about a rating, as that is such personal/person to person type of thing. I may think it' s a 9, while the next guy thinks it' s a piece of junk, as it just plain ' don' t fit' . If I had to, I would give it an 8 or 9. I shot all kinds of Mathews/Hoyts/etc./etc., and this one just ' fit' the best.
Just kiddin' fellas.I bought a PSE Firestorm Lite this year and really like it. I wasn' t so sure with the very short axle to axle, but with a litte time I have grown to like it. I needed the extreme let-off due to some back surgery, so between that, the weight of the bow, and beings it is tiny enough to get through some thick brush out here, it really fits the bill for my personal needs.
Montana Black Gold
Limb Saver Stab.
Quiktune
Alpine Archery Quiv.
I don' t know about a rating, as that is such personal/person to person type of thing. I may think it' s a 9, while the next guy thinks it' s a piece of junk, as it just plain ' don' t fit' . If I had to, I would give it an 8 or 9. I shot all kinds of Mathews/Hoyts/etc./etc., and this one just ' fit' the best.
08-20-2003, 01:48 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Virginia / West Virginia
Posts: 4,906
RE: How would you rate your current hunting bow?
Come on
Do you really want me to answer that question?
Can I be pardoned from this thread
Do you really want me to answer that question?
Can I be pardoned from this thread
] Nub...LOL...that' s why we all have a backup! (Although I haven' t ever, and hope I never need mine)
Arthur... How did I know that was coming?
I think the only way you could improve it would be to add the overdraw! LOL
I don' t know about a rating, as that is such personal/person to person type of thing. I may think it' s a 9, while the next guy thinks it' s a piece of junk, as it just plain ' don' t fit' . If I had to, I would give it an 8 or 9. I shot all kinds of Mathews/Hoyts/etc./etc., and this one just ' fit' the best.
Most folks are probably fairly happy with what they have, but I do know a few folks that have dumped alot of money into what they thought would be " it" (because of what others thought and said) and now wish they hadn' t. Although they would never admit it.
08-20-2003, 01:49 PM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Flatwoods, WV
Posts: 185
RE: How would you rate your current hunting bow?
I have a MQ1 - I have shot this bow for 4 years, when i got it i would rate it about a 7.
After replacing the grip, adding winners choice string and cable and a Muzzy ZE. I would have to give it a 9.
Its nice to go into a bow shop and not even look at the new models, guess that means I' m happy with what I have.
After replacing the grip, adding winners choice string and cable and a Muzzy ZE. I would have to give it a 9.
Its nice to go into a bow shop and not even look at the new models, guess that means I' m happy with what I have.
08-20-2003, 03:06 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Memphis TN USA
Posts: 3,445
RE: How would you rate your current hunting bow?
2001 Mathews Q2
70% let off
27.5" draw
68 lbs
28" 410 Grain ACC 3-60
Trophy Ridge drop away rest
Brace height is close to 7"
70% let off
27.5" draw
68 lbs
28" 410 Grain ACC 3-60
Trophy Ridge drop away rest
Brace height is close to 7"
Speed: 9 With my short draw length I am limited here, but I do get 270 fps